New Game Plus (NG+) Guide
Complete guide to Ball x Pit's New Game Plus mode with difficulty changes, best strategies, character/build recommendations, and achievement hunting tips
⚡ Quick Reference
⚠️ Key Change: New Game Plus removes checkpoints and adds +50% enemy HP/damage scaling. Sustain builds become mandatory—pure DPS strategies from normal mode will fail.
📋 Table of Contents
What is New Game Plus?
New Game Plus (NG+) is Ball x Pit's hard mode that becomes available after completing all 8 biomes on normal difficulty. It replays the entire game with significantly harder enemies (+50% HP/damage), removed checkpoints, and increased resource costs (2-3x).
Why Play NG+?
- • Ultimate endgame challenge for skilled players
- • Unlock NG+-exclusive achievements
- • Test mastery of game mechanics
- • Speedrun community targets NG+ for competitive runs
- • Completionist requirement (100% game completion)
What Carries Over?
- ✅ All unlocked characters (16/16 available)
- ✅ All unlocked evolutions (knowledge retained)
- ✅ All buildings in New Ballbylon
- ✅ All upgrades (gold mines, houses, etc.)
- ❌ Run progress (start from Wave 1)
- ❌ In-run items/passives (fresh start)
How to Unlock New Game Plus
Unlock Requirements
- Step 1 Complete All 8 Biomes on Normal Difficulty
Defeat the final boss of the 8th biome (Desert biome boss). You must reach and clear Wave 50+ to finish the normal mode campaign.
- Step 2 Return to Main Menu
After beating the final boss, return to the main menu. NG+ mode unlocks in the save file that completed the game.
- Step 3 Select NG+ from Level Selection
When selecting levels, a "second page" of levels appears. This is the NG+ difficulty tier. Select any NG+ level to start your New Game Plus run.
💡 Pro Tip: Before starting NG+, stockpile 5,000+ gold and max upgrade your 7-10 gold mines to Level 5+. NG+ building costs are 2-3x higher, and you'll need the economy boost from day 1.
NG+ Difficulty Changes
New Game Plus fundamentally changes the game's difficulty through three major mechanics:
+50% Enemy HP and Damage Scaling
All enemies gain +50% health points and deal +50% damage. This scales exponentially—late-game enemies that hit for 10 damage on normal now hit for 15 damage in NG+.
Checkpoints Removed
Normal mode allows you to restart from checkpoints (every 10 waves). NG+ removes all checkpoints—if you die at Wave 40, you restart from Wave 1. This makes consistency and survivability critical.
Strategy Impact: You cannot afford risky DPS rushes. Prioritize defensive evolutions (Soul Reaver, Mosquito King, Nosferatu) over pure damage spikes.
Boss HP/Damage Increases
Biome bosses receive the same +50% HP/damage scaling. Bosses that were 2-3 minute fights on normal become 4-5 minute endurance battles in NG+. Burst damage becomes less effective—sustained DPS matters more.
Boss Strategy: Black Hole (instant kill) becomes less reliable against NG+ boss HP pools. Transition to high-sustain builds (Mosquito King, Vampire Lord, Soul Sucker) for boss fights.
| Feature | Normal Mode | NG+ Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Enemy HP | Base | +50% ↑ |
| Enemy Damage | Base | +50% ↑ |
| Checkpoints | Every 10 waves | None |
| Boss HP | Base | +50% ↑ |
| Building Costs | Base | 2-3x ↑ |
| Recommended Run Time | 30-60 minutes | 60-90 minutes |
NG+ Resource Economy
New Game Plus multiplies building and upgrade costs by 2-3x. The resource farming optimizations that were optional in normal mode become mandatory for NG+ survival.
Gold Mine Optimization
Normal mode: 7 gold mines sustain economy
NG+ requirement: 9-10 gold mines minimum
- • Build 9-10 gold mines before starting NG+
- • Upgrade all mines to Level 5+ (max production)
- • Stockpile 5,000+ gold as buffer
- • Prioritize gold mine upgrades early (Wave 1-10)
- • Delay expensive character houses until economy stable
- • Use 7-mine U-shaped layout (same as normal mode)
Building Cost Scaling
Example building costs (Normal → NG+):
Note: Exact multipliers vary by building type (2x-3x range)
✓ Resource Farming Strategy: Your optimized gold farm is NO LONGER optional in NG+. Without 9-10 max-level gold mines, you cannot afford the 2-3x building costs. See Resource Farming Guide and Base Layout Guide for optimization tips.
Best Characters for New Game Plus
NG+'s +50% enemy damage makes sustain-focused characters dramatically more valuable. Characters with defensive passives or healing mechanics become S-tier in NG+ difficulty.
S-TIER NG+ Priority Characters
The Shieldbearer
Passive: +100% damage per reflection, shield positioning tank
Why S-Tier in NG+: Reflection mechanic scales with enemy damage (+50% enemy damage = +50% reflection damage). The Shieldbearer becomes exponentially stronger in NG+ as enemies hit harder. Combined with Hemorrhage/Leech builds, this creates unkillable defensive scaling.
The Itchy Finger
Passive: 2x fire rate (double attack speed)
Why S-Tier in NG+: +50% enemy HP means fights last 50% longer. The Itchy Finger's 2x fire rate doubles your damage output, compensating for NG+ HP scaling. Pair with sustain evolutions (Soul Sucker, Mosquito King) to maintain DPS without dying.
The Makeshift Sisyphus
Passive: 4x AOE/status damage multiplier, boulder pushing mechanic
Why S-Tier in NG+: Status damage (DoT) scales independently of enemy HP. Swamp + Sun + Overgrowth combo deals massive AOE damage that ignores NG+ HP scaling. Best for Wave 40-50+ where enemy density is high.
A-TIER Strong NG+ Picks
- The Physicist - Fastest Black Hole access (Wave 10-12), gravity specialist. Black Hole less reliable in NG+ but still strong burst.
- The Shade - Crit specialist with Dark ball execute mechanic. 10% crit chance + instant-kill <20% HP enemies works well in NG+.
- The Repentant - Bounce scaling (+5% damage per bounce). Positioning-focused playstyle, 30 bounces = 2.5x damage multiplier.
- The Juggler - Overhead lob Lightning specialist. Precise placement for cluster damage, high skill ceiling.
⚠️ Avoid in NG+: Pure DPS characters with no defensive scaling (The Warrior, The Cogitator) struggle in NG+ without sustain mechanics. The +50% enemy damage punishes glass cannon builds.
Best Builds for New Game Plus
NG+ build priority shifts from pure DPS to sustain + DPS hybrids. You need healing/defense to survive 60-90 minute runs without checkpoints.
Vampire Lifesteal Sustain Build
Core Evolutions:
- • Soul Sucker (Vampire + Ghost) - Lifesteal on every hit
- • Vampire Lord (Vampire + Dark) - Enhanced lifesteal
- • Mosquito King (Vampire + Brood Mother) - Swarm healing
- • Succubus (Charm + Vampire) - Charm + healing combo
Why This Works:
Vampire evolutions create a self-healing loop. Every ball hit heals you, and with 2x fire rate (The Itchy Finger) or swarm mechanics (Mosquito King), you become nearly unkillable.
Passive: Add Soul Reaver passive (Everflowing Goblet + Vampiric Sword) for 1 HP heal per kill + overhealing.
Defensive Tank Build (Shieldbearer)
Core Evolutions:
- • Hemorrhage (Iron + Bleed) - Reflection damage
- • Leech (Bleed + Brood Mother) - Sustain specialist
- • Virus (Poison + Ghost) - DoT damage
- • Sacrifice (Bleed + Dark) - Execute mechanic
Why This Works:
The Shieldbearer's reflection damage scales with enemy damage. In NG+, enemies hit 50% harder = 50% more reflection damage. Hemorrhage + Leech creates defensive scaling that gets stronger as NG+ gets harder.
Result: Maximum survivability, ideal for NG+ Flawless runs or first-time NG+ attempts.
AOE Zone Control Build (Sisyphus)
Core Evolutions:
- • Swamp (Poison + Earthquake) - Zone control
- • Sun (Burn + Light) - AOE damage
- • Overgrowth (Cell + Earthquake) - Zone stacking
- • Sandstorm (Earthquake + Wind) - AOE specialist
Why This Works:
The Makeshift Sisyphus has 4x AOE/status damage multiplier. Swamp + Sun + Overgrowth combo creates overlapping damage zones that deal massive AOE damage independent of enemy HP scaling. Best for Wave 40-50+ where high enemy density triggers zone stacking.
Late Game Meta: "Super broken" combo per TheGamer review. Wave 50 becomes trivial with zone stacking.
🎯 Build Priority: In NG+, prioritize sustain evolutions first (Soul Sucker, Mosquito King, Leech), then add DPS evolutions (Black Hole, Nuclear Bomb) once your healing is stable. Pure DPS rushes fail in NG+ due to +50% enemy damage.
Evolution Tier Shifts in NG+
NG+ changes evolution tier rankings. Sustain evolutions become S-tier, while pure burst damage evolutions drop in effectiveness.
⬆️ Tier Increases (Normal → NG+)
- Mosquito King: A-tier → S-tier (healing critical)
- Nosferatu: A-tier → S-tier (massive sustain)
- Soul Sucker: A-tier → S-tier (lifesteal essential)
- Leech: B-tier → A-tier (sustain value)
- Hemorrhage: B-tier → A-tier (defensive scaling)
⬇️ Tier Decreases (Normal → NG+)
- Black Hole: S-tier → A-tier (one-shot less reliable against NG+ HP)
- Nuclear Bomb: S-tier → A-tier (burst damage nerfed by HP scaling)
- Holy Laser: S-tier → A-tier (DPS less effective)
Note: These evolutions are still strong in NG+, just less dominant than in normal mode.
💡 See Full Tier List: Check the Evolution Tier List 2025 for complete NG+ tier rankings and detailed evolution analysis.
Achievement Hunting in NG+
Several achievements require NG+ completion. These are among the hardest achievements in Ball x Pit.
🏆 Flawless NG+ Run
Requirement: Complete NG+ without dying (no deaths from Wave 1 to final boss)
Strategy: NG+ adds 50% enemy HP/damage and removes checkpoints. Meta knowledge required. Rush S-tier evolutions (Soul Sucker, Mosquito King) for sustain. Skip optional encounters. Use The Shieldbearer or The Itchy Finger.
Unlock Condition: Complete all 8 biomes on normal difficulty first to unlock NG+ mode. Then attempt Flawless run.
🎖️ Completionist Achievement
Requirement: Unlock and complete all game content (100% completion)
Checklist: All 42 ball evolutions, all 8 passive evolutions, all 16 characters, all 70+ buildings, all mechanics (NG+, Fast+, etc.)
NG+ Requirement: Must complete at least one NG+ run to unlock Completionist. This achievement requires mastery of all game systems.
🎯 Achievement Strategy: Start with progression achievements (10 buildings, 5 characters, first evolutions). Then target multi-step evolutions (Nosferatu, Satan, Black Hole). Leave extreme challenges (Flawless, Fast+3, NG+) for last when you've mastered the game. See Hidden Achievements Guide for full list.
NG+ Speedrun Strategies
The NG+ speedrun category has a 7:53 world record (Any% NG+ Fast+ by Yenz on Speedrun.com). Theoretical minimum is estimated around 6:30-7:00 with perfect execution.
Meta Character
The Warrior is speedrun meta despite being B-tier. Why? No passive = zero constraints. Can build ANY evolution path without passive interference. Flexibility > raw power in speedruns.
Current WR uses The Warrior for Fast+ NG+ category. The Itchy Finger is alternative for pure DPS rushes.
Evolution Priority
Rush S-tier evolutions early:
- • Wave 5-10: Black Hole (Sun + Dark)
- • Wave 10-15: Nuclear Bomb (Bomb + Poison)
- • Wave 15-20: Soul Sucker (sustain)
Skip optional encounters. Go straight for bosses to minimize run time.
🏃 Speedrun Targets: Sub-15 min (casual), Sub-10 min (competitive), Sub-8 min (elite Fast+3 runs). See Speedrun Strategies Guide for advanced routing and skip strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I return to Normal mode after starting NG+?
A: Yes. NG+ is a separate difficulty tier. When selecting levels, you'll see two "pages"—Normal and NG+. You can switch between them freely. Your progress in both modes is saved independently.
Q: Do character unlocks transfer to NG+?
A: Yes. All 16 unlocked characters are available in NG+ from the start. Character unlocks are permanent across all difficulty modes.
Q: What's the best base layout for NG+?
A: Same as normal mode—7-mine U-shaped gold farm is optimal. NG+ doesn't change base building mechanics. However, you should BUILD 9-10 gold mines (instead of 7) because building costs are 2-3x higher. See Base Layout Guide.
Q: Is Black Hole still good in NG+?
A: Yes, but less dominant. Black Hole drops from S-tier to A-tier in NG+ because +50% enemy HP makes one-shot mechanics less reliable. It's still strong for boss burst, but pair it with sustain evolutions (Soul Sucker, Mosquito King) for survival.
Q: How long does an NG+ run take?
A: 60-90 minutes for normal pace. Speedruns can finish in 7-10 minutes with optimized routes. Normal mode runs are 30-60 minutes for comparison.
Q: What happens if I die in NG+?
A: You restart from Wave 1. NG+ removes all checkpoints—there are no mid-run restarts. This makes defensive builds and sustain evolutions mandatory for consistent clears.
Q: Should I max upgrade my base before starting NG+?
A: Yes! Build 9-10 gold mines and upgrade them all to Level 5+ BEFORE starting NG+. Also stockpile 5,000+ gold. NG+ building costs are 2-3x higher, and you'll need the economy boost immediately. See Resource Farming Guide.
Summary: NG+ Survival Checklist
✅ Before Starting NG+:
- ✓ Beat all 8 biomes on normal mode (unlock requirement)
- ✓ Build 9-10 gold mines and upgrade to Level 5+
- ✓ Stockpile 5,000+ gold as buffer
- ✓ Unlock The Shieldbearer or The Itchy Finger (S-tier NG+ characters)
- ✓ Practice sustain builds (Vampire lifesteal, defensive tank)
✅ During NG+ Run:
- ✓ Prioritize sustain evolutions first (Soul Sucker, Mosquito King, Leech)
- ✓ Add DPS evolutions once healing is stable (Black Hole, Nuclear Bomb)
- ✓ Upgrade gold mines early (Wave 1-10) to sustain 2-3x building costs
- ✓ Play defensively—no checkpoints means one death = full restart
- ✓ Skip optional encounters if speedrunning
✅ Key NG+ Mechanics:
- ✓ +50% enemy HP and damage (all enemies and bosses)
- ✓ No checkpoints (restart from Wave 1 on death)
- ✓ 2-3x building/upgrade costs (resource economy critical)
- ✓ Sustain > DPS (defensive builds become S-tier)
- ✓ Run time: 60-90 minutes (vs 30-60 normal mode)
📚 Related Guides for NG+ Players
Master NG+ with these comprehensive guides: